Archive for the ‘Tips & Advice’ Category

Save 3% On Michelin Tyres In March

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Michelin has a long and justified reputation for making some of the best car tyres in the world (to learn more about tyres, check out our car tyres guide).

Founded by brothers André and Edouard Michelin in 1889, Michelin consistently does well in tests of longevity, fuel economy and grip and makes a very wide range of tyres.

This month leading UK tyre retailer Black Circles is running a very special offer of 3% discount on all Michelin tyres when you use this discount code:

BCMHMAR56

Use this code on BlackCircles.com and save 3% on all Michelin tyres. Valid from 01/03/2010 to 31/03/2010.

Although you won’t see the Black Circles name on the high street, it is actually one of the UK’s largest tyre retailers and enables you to save money by buying your tyres online and then have them delivered to one a local high street fitting centre to be fitted to your car.

If you haven’t tried Black Circles before, there has never been a better time. Black Circles stocks all the major brands of tyres, often at heavily-discounted prices. The company has a network of more than 1,000 fitting centres around the UK – so there is sure to be one near to you.

Click here to visit the Black Circles website:



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Car Insurance – Broker or Direct?

Monday, December 7th, 2009

Car insurance is highly competitive and the biggest area of competition is price. Most of us don’t need to use our insurance very often, so the only time we notice a difference between companies is when we get our renewal quotes. Of course, there are other differences between companies – some do provide better service than others. Unfortunately, it isn’t easy to find out which ones are best until the worst happens and you have to make a claim.

The result is that insurers compete very hard to offer the lowest possible quotes. Direct insurance companies try to convince you they offer the best deals because they don’t have any ‘middlemen’ – brokers, price comparison sites and other people who take a commission on every sale.

Although this sounds plausible, the truth is not this simple.

One of the biggest costs for insurance companies is the cost of acquiring new customers. Each new customer has an ‘acquisition cost’ to an insurance company – advertising, marketing, sales call centres and administration all have to be paid for.

When a broker sells an insurance policy, the broker is footing the bill for much of the advertising, marketing and administration that would otherwise have to be done by the insurance company itself. That’s why brokers get paid commissions by the insurance company – because the broker is doing some of the insurer’s work for them.



The result is that direct insurance (where you buy your policy directly from the actual insurance company) is not necessarily any cheaper than insurance purchased through a broker. The insurance company has to pay to acquire you as a new customer either way – and the costs of getting customers through a broker and getting direct customers are fairly similar.

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Driving In Floods – Essential Advice

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

The recent bad weather has caused serious flooding on  many UK roads. While, ideally, you wouldn’t drive your car in flooded conditions, in reality, sometimes you have to. The difference between getting through safely and getting stuck and damaging your car is often down to correct driving technique – so it’s important that you know what to do.

The IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) has released this advice for motorists, explaining exactly how to approach a flooded section of road:

  1. Don’t go in if the water’s obviously too deep or flowing too quickly: consider an alternative route.
  2. If you have to drive through water try to drive in the highest section of the road and don’t set off if a vehicle is travelling in the opposite direction. Leave time and space for each other, so you don’t swamp other drivers.
  3. Drive only fast enough to create a small bow wave in front of the vehicle – driving at speed may be dangerous to other vehicles or pedestrians.
  4. Keep going once you have started – make sure you have a clear run, put the car into first gear, keep the revs high and set off. Don’t go in if you can’t see a way out on the other side.
  5. Do not take your foot even slightly off the accelerator, as this will allow water to travel up the exhaust pipe. As you go through the water, slip the clutch if you can. After you come out, dry brakes gently before you need them – the best way is to lightly apply the brake as you drive along for a few seconds.
  6. At the other side, keep moving and continue to rev the engine to clear any water from the exhaust.

It’s worth emphasising the IAM’s point about keeping the revs up. This maintains a steady stream of exhaust gases blowing out of your exhaust and prevents water going up your exhaust. Water up your exhaust can lead to very expensive damage and should be avoided at all costs.

Similarly, you musn’t drive through water so deep that your car’s air intake is submerged – letting water into the air intake of your engine will probably destroy it (the engine). Most car’s air intakes are fairly high up – around bonnet height. If the water is that deep, you shouldn’t be driving into it anyway. However, some cars have lower level air intakes – do you know where yours is?

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Think Twice Before Cancelling Your Breakdown Cover

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

When was the last time you called out a breakdown service for your car?

Chances are it was quite a while ago – modern cars are pretty reliably if they are serviced correctly, after all.

In these economic tough times, saving £50-£100 by cancelling your car’s breakdown cover is understandably tempting. The only problem is that it could cost you far, far more if you do need breakdown assistance but haven’t got cover.

A new report from the RAC highlights the problem. Despite the RAC’s obvious vested interest in signing up new customers, they do have a number of very valid points:

  • The Highways Agency charges a £150 fee if you need to be towed off a motorway – and you may not have much choice in the matter if you have broken down.
  • Garage labour can be costly – the average rate at a franchised dealer is apparently  £90.61 per hour, according to Warranty Direct. Even at an independent garage, the average rate is £56.10 per hour.
  • If you’re in an unfamiliar area, finding a suitable garage can be difficult – meaning you often end up at the nearest franchised dealer for your vehicle. Effective, but costly (this happened to me this autumn, while abroad).

In contrast, RAC membership starts from £71.25 per year and other companies – such as Tesco Breakdown – offer roadside cover for even less. A significant number of breakdowns are fixed at the roadside – especially by the AA and the RAC, whose mechanics seems to be better trained and well equipped for such activity.

If you just make one callout every couple of years, the chances are your breakdown cover will pay for itself and give you great peace of mind.

Think about it.

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Are Your Tyres Safe? You Might Be Surprised

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

car tyre treadAccording to the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), around 10% of cars have one or more tyres that is worn beyond the legal limit.

There are two problems with this:

  1. It’s illegal – you could be fined up to £2,500 per tyre
  2. It’s extremely dangerous – the risk of skidding on wet surfaces increase seven-fold with tread depth below 0.5mm.

You shouldn’t really even let your tyres wear down to the legal limit (1.6mm tread depth) – according to the IAM, the chances of skidding on a wet road with tyres at the legal limit is triple the chance of skidding with new tyres.

It’s not fun to think about but the solution is easy.

  1. Keep your car’s tyres properly inflated and check them regularly when they are cold – ideally weekly.
  2. Monitor your car’s tyres for problems – wear should be even. Wear down the centre indicates overinflation and wear down one side suggests your wheel alignment may be out. Bulges or cuts increase the chance of a blow out and are dangerous – replace damaged tyres straight away.
  3. Don’t weight for your car to fail an MOT before you replace the tyres. Keep an eye on them and replace them when the tread depth gets down below 3mm.

Finally, remember that the law might get you even if an accident doesn’t. The maximum penalty for illegal tyres is 3 points plus a fine of up to £2,500 per tyre. It’s enough to make new tyres look cheap – so don’t skimp on them.

Replacing Your Tyres

Ideally, tyres should be replaced in pairs. The newest tyres should go on the rear wheels in a front wheel drive vehicle, as this reduces the chance of you ‘losing the rear end’.

To learn more about tyre care, have a look at our Beginner’s Guide To Tyres.

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Can My Car Tow This Caravan? A Beginner’s Guide

Friday, October 9th, 2009
Car towing a caravan - note that the caravan is pretty much level

Note that both caravan and car are level, suggesting a well-balanced outfit

Caravanning seems to be increasing in popularity at the moment – and second-hand caravans can be bought relatively cheaply, meaning that a comfortable ‘home from home’ is within the reach of many people who already own a car – the other essential requirement for a caravan holiday!

However, not all cars are equal when it comes to towing caravans. Mismatched or overloaded car/caravan outfits are an all-too-common sight on the roads and this can be both dangerous and illegal.

With this in mind, I thought I would put together some information to help anyone trying to match a car to a caravan. However, there are two terms you need to understand before you start:

Kerb weight: This is the weight of a car with a driver in roadworthy condition (e.g. a full tank of fuel) but without passengers or luggage. You should be able to find this in your car’s handbook.

Towing Capacity (braked & unbraked): The maximum weight that can be towed by your car, according to the manufacturer’s specification. You should also be able to find this in your car’s handbook.

Most caravans are braked (have their own brakes), but some trailer tents and other very small camping trailers may be unbraked. Make sure you select the correct towing capacity for your caravan or trailer tent.

Matching a Car & Caravan

The most reliable authority on safe caravan towing in the UK is probably the Caravan Club. Its website has a wealth of useful information for caravanners, including the following two links, which explain everything you need to know about ‘outfit matching’ (caravanners like to refer to the combination of car and caravan as an ‘outfit’).

If you read and understand these two links, I would suggest you have all the information necessary to safely match a towcar and caravan. Some of it is a bit technical, however, so if you find it unclear I would strongly suggest you use the Caravan Club’s matching service or take expert advice from a caravan dealer or from the manufacturer of your car.

The consequences of using an unsuitable towcar can be frustrating at best and very dangerous at worst.

Happy Towing!

Note: For more information on driving licence requirements for towing, see our Towing a Trailer page.

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Improve Fuel Economy Without Changing Your Car

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

In these days of ever-rising fuel prices, drivers are starting to think more and more about reducing their fuel consumption.

Most people tend to associate this with the purchase of a new, more efficient car – possibly a smaller model – but it isn’t necessary to go to these extremes. Chances are you can improve the fuel efficiency of your current car by as much as 5%-10%, just by taking one or two positive steps.

1. Develop Fuel-Saving Driving Techniques

Contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t mean driving around at low speeds all the time. Instead, it’s all about planning ahead, using your car’s gears effectively and not wasting engine effort – which means wasting fuel.

Techniques such as ‘brake to slow, gear to go’ and using your gears effectively can make a surprising difference – as can correct tyre pressures and changing the way you use your car slightly.

You can see some of our recommended green driving tips here.

2. Make Sure Your Car Is In Tip-Top Condition

You should have your car serviced regularly anyway, but even if you do, you car’s fuel system may not be as clean and efficient as it was when it was new.

That’s why Nationwide Autocentres has developed its unique Fuel Service – a service that is designed to clean out your car’s fuel system and ensure that your car is setup to provide optimum fuel efficiency.

As well as a fuel system cleaner, it includes checks on tyre condition and pressure, oil level and condition, brake condition and exhaust emissions, which are checked at the beginning and end of the service to show the difference that the fuel service makes.

A fuel service only costs £15 if you book it at the same time as a car service, or £35 on its own. If your car is a few years old and has some miles under its belt, it could be worthwhile.

Click here to visit the Nationwide Autocentres website

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